


Home

by SailingOnANotebook



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash Lynx and Okumura Eiji go to Japan, Fluff, M/M, Valentine Exchange, beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 12:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18010913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailingOnANotebook/pseuds/SailingOnANotebook
Summary: Eiji takes Ash to the beach and asks him if he misses New York.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This is for the Valentine exchange, I know that I am very very late so thank you completist_ for waiting. I really hope that you enjoy this.

The air was salty and that was an immediate giveaway to Ash where Eiji had taken him. He knew that Eiji lived somewhat near the coast, even though the smell of the sea didn’t carry its way all the way to where his home.

The chilly air breezed past them, but that fact was completely ignored by the two as they imprinted the sand. Ash looked at the darkening sky, that was coloured in grey clouds and specks of stars now that the sun hid behind the sea.

“So, is there a shrine here as well?” Ash asked, his voice upturning at the end.

“Of course,” Eiji said and glanced over to the blonde. “But today we’re here just to be on the beach.”

Ash didn’t mind that, not that he minded seeing a shrine either. After recently coming to Japan, he had begun exploring so many parts of Izumo with Eiji. Everything was so strange and different, he hadn’t formed an opinion on anything yet.

With mindless chatter like that and the soft sound of the sea crashing on the shore serenading them, they found a spot to settle before sitting side by side with their shoulders brushing each others.

The sun had completely disappeared and Eiji looked at Ash, seeing how the air played with his golden locks, half obscuring his pensive expression. He had noticed that Ash had become reserved. He was quieter,watching everything around him with the deepest of expressions. He knew that Ash hadn’t settled in Japan yet and the biggest giveaway was how he uncharacteristically clung onto Eiji’s side.

That was different for Eiji, seeing how in New York it was the opposite or rather, Ash went on by himself.

But everything about Izumo was different from the New York that Ash knew, it was quieter and everything from the culture to the language, the etiquette, the food – the list was endless and a part of Eiji wondered if bringing him here was a good idea after all.

So, he had hoped that a place like this, where the sun meets the sea, would be a familiar and comforting sight for him.

They continued in their silence, breathing softly and letting the crashing waves unwind them and their adventures of the day. That was until Eiji decided to speak.

“You miss New York.”

Ash didn’t know if he had heard anything at first. He wondered if he had conjured up Eiji’s voice before repeating what he had said in his head.

Ash didn’t look Eiji’s way once he grasped his words, instead he let out a silent sigh and concentrated on the darkening horizon.

“It’s okay to miss it,” Eiji said, knowing that Ash probably had complicated feelings about it. “It was your home.”

Ash looked towards Eiji, the soft wind was caressing his hair and the moon that was becoming visible reflected in his eyes.

_ Home isn’t the right word for New York _ was the thought on Ash’s mind. But he couldn’t really explain why it wasn’t.

But a part of him felt that it didn’t matter if he missed New York. He didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. He had other things on his mind, like the peace that was suddenly around him. He had been living dangerously for years and all of a sudden, it was quiet as if someone with a remote-control pressed pause. He didn’t know if it was going to stay like this or if he could have this.

He just couldn’t get used to this peace. He didn’t get it. It was how normal people lived. Could he have this?

“Why are you worrying so much about me onii-chan?” There was a hint of jest in Ash’s voice, especially the last bit.

“You’re the one who’s making me worry,” Eiji replied. Ash didn’t have to look at him to know that he had rolled his eyes, even though there was clearly concern etched in his voice. “You’ve been so quiet since you’ve been in Japan, how could I not worry?”

Ash couldn’t deny that.

“Do you want to go back?” Eiji asked suddenly.

“What?”

“If you want to go back to New York that’s fine.”

Hearing Eiji say that made Ash entertain the thought for a second but all he could figure out was that he had complicated feelings towards New York and that was probably because of the attachment he had to the place. Now he was here with Eiji, what could he be?

A part of him was worried that Eiji would try to persuade him to go back. He didn’t like it because he didn’t know if going back meant he was going back with him. All he knew was that he just… didn’t want to be anywhere where Eiji wasn’t.

“Do you want me to?” Ash asked and focused on Eiji, looking at his fluffy black hair, smooth skin and brown eyes. And then he concentrated on the warmth that he could feel without even touching him.

“…No, not really,” Eiji said, his voice quiet but then he turned to Ash and gave him a desperate look. “But it isn’t about me Ash. I know I asked you to come here, but you don’t have to stay –”

Ash leaned forward and pressed his lips to Eiji’s. They were soft and welcoming as they always were, responding to Ash with love he didn’t know existed.

“You,” Ash said, as they broke apart.

“Huh?” Eiji answered, his eyes half-lidded and their lips a hairsbreadth apart.

“I want to be wherever you are.”

Eiji leaned back, his heart pounding thunderously in his chest. “Ash…”

He met Ash’s serious eyes, both promising and desperate, but he still couldn’t help himself from being a little bit mischievous.  “Can you say that again?”

Ash was glad it was dark out, with only the half moon shining on them because he was ablaze.

_ This little - _

“Whatever – ”

“Me too.” Eiji’s cheeky grin had vanished and his brown eyes stared back at him with soft intensity.

Ash smiled, his shoulder now resting on Eiji’s. Eiji returned it and pressed his lips onto Ash’s nose before looking back at the horizon. The stars had fully emerged and the air was getting chillier but none made an effort to move.

“Eiji,” Ash said after a while. “I’m quiet because I’m suddenly taken on a quiet life. I like it more than I thought I would. It’s just taking me longer than I thought to get used to it.”

For now, he was just absorbing everything. Taking it in and well, relishing in it. It was something he hadn’t done before Eiji because there were only very few moments before him that he wanted to remember.

His gaze dropped and he looked at Eiji’s hand that was resting on the sand. His palm was facing upwards. Ash moved his hand forward so their hands brushed and almost as if gravity was working between them, their fingers slipped through each others.

Ash rested his head on his shoulder, and he could feel Eiji shift and rest his head on his.

He could only think  _ home is where you are _ .


End file.
